2014 BMW 328i xDrive GT: Drives Like a 3 Series

I wasn't sure what to make of a 3 Series version of BMW's rear-heavy-looking Gran Turismo experiment.

Then I took it through some twisty bits on California's famous Mulholland Drive.

So how did it perform?

Even with a wheelbase extended by 4.4 inches versus a regular 3 Series sedan, and fitted with standard all-wheel drive (or xDrive, in BMW-speak), the 328i GT handled pretty much like a normal 3 Series.

That just means the action happens sooner and at lower speeds, and on a public road that's okay. With sharp steering fed to your hands through a thick leather-wrapped wheel, you can really toss this 3 Series GT around. Its initial desire to understeer can be controlled with throttle adjustments, and even though I didn't fully defeat the stability system (had it in the Sport Plus dynamic mode), it still allowed a degree of tail-out action exiting slow turns.